The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine and, more particularly, to an automatic vending machine in which goods or the like are dispensed in response to the use of a key card.
In automatic vending machines, it is common for cash (coins or bills) to be used for inducing a sale. More recently, automatic vending machines which are operated exclusively by various types of key cards are employed for inducing a sale. In some vending machines, payment can be made while using such a card.
Methods of payment for purchases from automatic vending machines using a card system fall into two categories, payment in advance and credit type payment. In accordance with the payment in advance method, a user purchases a card in advance for cash, the amount being stored on the card by suitable means such as a magnetic strip. Each time the card is used in the machine, the recorded information is appropriately changed so as to indicate the remaining credit amount. Therefore, the vending machine operator safely obtains the cash in advance. In accordance with the credit type payment method, a card holder utilizes a vending machine for a purchase using a card which has been issued to him. The amount of each purchase is stored in the machine, and the amounts debited against each card are accumulated over a predetermined period of time and are then billed to each card user at the end of that period. In this system, the collection of the amount owed can be complicated and sometimes impossible.
Advance payment type cards are preferable and utilized in most vending machines of this type. Such vending machines, however, must be provided with a complex card reader to identify the amount remaining on each card and must also be able to change the amount after a purchase has been made. These types of card readers are very expensive and cards used in this method are typically abandoned when the amount of credit shown on the card is expended, making the costs of card provision higher.
Furthermore, in recent years, the variety of merchandise that may be stored within one vending machine has greatly increased. In beverage vending machines, for example, coffee vending machines, the number of selections has increased, such as the type of coffee bean, the amount of cream and sugar, etc. Therefore, customers will select one of a large number of items. The operation of automatic vending machines has, therefore, become more complicated.